The Treatment of Infidels in Saudi Arabia —a Time to Apologise?

By Khaled Waleed

2006/02/20 

This is how we treat the infidels in Saudi Arabia :

We abuse the non-Muslims living and working in Saudi Arabia all the time, especially the Christians and the Jews.

We call them grandsons of pigs and monkeys. We say this openly, everywhere, particularly in mosques.

We do not respect any religions except Islam. This is the Saudi official policy: all religions other than Islam are false. Only Islam is the true religion. To accomplish this extremely bigoted notion, the Saudi state policy is to convert to Islam as many infidels as possible. So, proselytising for Islam is a major activity of the government and the religious department. Those who convert to Islam are rewarded handsomely. This is a kind of bribe, you might say—to force infidels into Islam. Those preachers and Islamic workers who succeed in converting the loathsome infidels to Islam might also expect to be richly rewarded. 

In Saudi Arabia , discrimination against the non-Muslims is absolutely rampant, very clear and open. It starts with aqama (red cards for the non-Muslims and green cards for the Muslims). The rule on taxation is also different for the Muslims and the non-Muslims. This is open, clear and meticulously planned Islamic apartheid which might even surpass the enormity of the apartheid policies of the erstwhile South African government.

In Saudi Arabia , non-Muslims are merely tolerated. They have no right to build any places of worship for their customary religious rituals and practices. Non-Muslims are not allowed to observe their rites, celebrate their religious festivals or even extend congratulations to one another in front of any Saudis. If any infidels dare to carry out his religion openly, he is threatened with immediate deportation from Saudi Arabia .

Non-Muslims living in Saudi Arabia cannot marry any Muslim women. This is completely forbidden.

No non-Saudi could acquire Saudi Nationality either by birth or through naturalisation. Recently, there have been some minor changes to the Citizenship laws, but no non-Muslim could ever be awarded with Saudi citizenship.

Infidels living in Saudi Arabia cannot build their own schools.

Non-Muslims who are lucky enough to live in their own compounds can practice their religious activities in secret, out-of-sight of Muslims. This means they have to live like prisoners in their abodes. They could never invite any Muslims in their homes.

During the month of Ramadan, non-Muslims are instructed by the Saudi authorities to respect the religious feeling of the Muslims. The infidels are ordered not to consume any food in front of Muslims. Any violation of this requirement might result in expulsion from Saudi Arabia of the infidel culprit—merely for eating in the presence of a Muslim. That is why, at the outset, in the month of Ramadan, to show respect to the Muslims, the government announces that if the infidels want to consume food they must do this in hiding, completely out of view of any Muslims. I have a premonition that the Muslims living in Europe , very soon, might demand such a law from the governments of their host countries.

The law of Sharia in Saudi Arabia forces non-Muslim women to wear Muslim costume abaya. If any non-Muslim women refuse to comply with this rule she will be in deep trouble with the enforcement authority.

Saudi authorities exert enormous pressure on the non-Muslims to convert to Islam. I have personally witnessed this forced conversion right in front of my eyes. And, to tell the truth, to the joy of many Wahabi Islamists, the Islamic authority is quite successful in this subtle forced conversion into Wahabi brand of Islam. To perpetuate such religious propaganda and coercion, these events of Wahabi Islam conversions are advertised in the leading newspapers with great fanfare which includes the photographs of the newly-converted Muslims published in the media.

In Saudi Arabia , unless a non-Muslim had converted to Islam, he/she is not eligible to receive any charity (Zakat) whatsoever. That is why many infidels from poor countries are enticed to convert to Islam so that the rich Saudi Muslims could earn Allah’s blessings by bestowing charity to these poor converts. 

 Now, contrast those despicable treatments of non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia with the treatment of Muslims in infidel lands.

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